Day 05 - to Yosemite

8:33am
Hey guys, thanks for the comments & thanks for checking the trip out! There was a big snow storm in the sierras, just got off the phone with the hotel, I was worried I couldn't get thru but it looks OK & I'm on the road to Yosemite, can't wait!!! should be there about 3:30pm!!!!

11:30am
Left a bit late to let it warm up & beat the traffic just got thru Oakland and holy fork, that was scary! Leaving san fran was rushed but orderly traffic, it’s a beautiful city wish I wasn't on such a tight budget & timeline. No gps really sucks, can't look at the map on my tank bag while I'm riding so I gotta try to remember a few directions & go again. San fran looked amazing from the bay bridge, it’s a no stopping zone but I got lucky & zapped in behind a construction crew, to a serenade of car horns, lol, got a shot & jammed myself back into traffic. Coming out on the Oakland side was like a new world, everyone had skulls & cross bones everywhere & everything’s painted silver & black?!?! ......just kidding but it is insanity as soon as you cross the bridge! I was doing 140 trying to keep up & still see the road signs & they were ALL passing me on both sides, swerving in & around each other like a cone drill!!!! I pulled in with the trucks in the "55 mph max for trucks lane" & only had to do 85 to keep up? Passed a couple of chp radar checks too, gotta assume the signs mean you can go 65 mph above the speed limit cause no one got pulled over? Maybe they were like the guy in super troopers & it was just mannequins & the cops were fishing? Can vultures be considered guardian angels? Hope so cause they always seem to be overhead when I get in any type of uncomfortable situation...Man people play their music loud here? A guy my age just gassed up & I thought his rear window was going to pop.... & this other freak waiting in the carwash line must have his freaking repeat button stuck, omg gotta get outa here! Gassing up & back on the road, hope I'm going the right way? Thanks Steve, sales guy I met at jack in the box, for the awesome directions!

2pm
Got gas & stripped down some more, its H O T. Thermometer reads over 30 in the shade! Met some bikers who just got back from Mexico, said its hotter south, glad I can still peel more stuff off & got my extra helmet!

3:30pm
Stopped in Groveland for gas oldest saloon, 20 min on hwy after awesome twisties re road work, the sweats pouring off me!

4:30pm
Trip was good I'm obviously a born navigator, doing fine (so far gps-less) except one minor missed turn that I'll blame on the HUGE (think green crap on Tim Allen’s face in wild hogs) bug splattered dead centre on my facemask, slightly distracting me, so I missed my turn, was back on track in 5 min! Met a nice family from the Netherlands at a view stop, this was their 2nd time, I think first for their kids, they're checking this out at the next starbucks, hi guys, nice meeting you! Started to cool off at about 4000 feet, not cold, but no longer boiling! I thought my bike was getting kinda quiet too, then my ears popped, lol. I'm just past the gate into the park, a robins been sitting watching me so I took his pic. On with the trip! This has been an awesome day to be alive & be on a bike (once I got past Oakland!) Met Gail & Tina at Yosemite they are from St Louis we had a nice chat, lovely ladies, & they pointed out the insano’s climbing the rock….

7:50pm
Amazing day Yosemite is spectacular! I saw all I could & decided to make a run for Fresno.... Just couldn’t not stop take a few more shots! Then when I promised myself no more pics, I looked to my right, 6000 feet up heading south out of Yosemite...... What a sunset, crap, slammed on my brakes, took the shot & hopped back on my bike, now the suns almost gone, I'm stuck with a tinted visor & I discover SAND on the road from the snow removal trucks, crap, that sucked finding that out leaning thru a serious corner, my tail wagged, my heart skipped one & now I knew what to look for! Getting gas, think I'll be around Fresno by 9pm ish? It gets freakin cold fast above 6000 ft, I came zipping down the mountain, freezing (no where to stop) running in low gear & beeping my horn for wild life, musta looked insane, but it was fun & the deer got the hell out of the way!!. Stopped at the first McD's to eat & put warm stuff back on!Was making good time to Fresno, did not enjoy the rest of the road though, bad visibility. I was pretty tired when I saw the Fresno signs, but no hotel signs or visible hotels at the side of the highway?? So, the genius that I am decided there surely would be on just a little way down the highway… so I kept going & kept going & kept going, getting more & more pissed off that I didn’t just stop & finally, when I knew I’d never get back if I didn’t turn around, I did & hammered it back to Fresno, cursing (out loud btw & now also hating garmin very much for the faulty gps) the whole way, sore back, sore ass, sore knees tired & now quite cranky!! Stopped at the first hotel I could find, it was a Radisson so I was concerned about my budget, but exhausted, then Nancy & Lynn came to my rescue, gave me an AWESOME deal & put a smile back on my face they were awesome, friendly & helpful, thanks ladies!I’m drained, need sleep, Death Valley might be a stretch tomorrow, I’ll think about my plan when my head clears! G-night!